Hungary · Local picks
100+ Places to Visit in Hungary
These are the places worth your time in Hungary, from the baths, cafés and ruin bars of Budapest to the river towns of the Danube Bend, the shores of Lake Balaton, the wine cellars of Eger and the sunny squares of Pécs. Classics sit beside quiet corners many travellers miss, so every kind of visitor finds something to love.
Places to Visit in Budapest
Arts and Culture
- Hungarian Parliament Building (Kossuth Lajos tér)
Guided tours lead through gilded halls to the Holy Crown in the country's great landmark. - Matthias Church (Castle District)
A gothic church with a dazzling tiled roof and painted interior beside the Bastion. - Dohány Street Synagogue (Jewish Quarter)
The largest synagogue in Europe, with a moving memorial garden and museum. - St Stephen's Basilica (Lipótváros)
Climb the dome for a panorama over Pest and the river. - Shoes on the Danube Bank (Pest riverbank)
A simple, haunting memorial to Jews shot on the riverbank in 1944 and 1945. - House of Terror (Andrássy út)
A powerful museum on the fascist and communist dictatorships in the building they used. - Hungarian National Museum (Múzeum körút)
The story of Hungary from prehistory to modern times in a neoclassical landmark. - Hungarian State Opera (Andrássy út)
A gilded neo renaissance opera house with tours by day and performances by night. - Hospital in the Rock (Castle District)
A secret wartime hospital and nuclear bunker hidden in the caves under Castle Hill. - Memento Park (District XXII)
Giant communist era statues gathered in an open air park on the edge of the city. - Museum of Fine Arts (Heroes' Square)
Old masters, Egyptian treasures and a beautiful Romanesque hall on Heroes' Square. - House of Music Hungary (City Park)
A striking new music museum with a forest of glass and interactive exhibits.
Things to Do
- Buda Castle (Castle District)
The royal palace on Castle Hill holds the National Gallery and sweeping Danube views. - Fishermen's Bastion (Castle District)
Fairy tale white towers with the classic view across the river to Parliament. - Széchenyi Thermal Bath (City Park)
Steaming outdoor pools in a yellow neo baroque palace, best on a cold morning. - Rudas Thermal Bath (Döbrentei tér)
An original Ottoman domed pool plus a rooftop hot tub with river views. - Lukács Thermal Bath (Frankel Leó út)
A local favourite bath where regulars swim laps and soak away from the crowds. - Children's Railway (Buda Hills)
A forest railway in the Buda hills run largely by children under adult supervision. - Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden (City Park)
One of the oldest zoos in the world, with art nouveau animal houses. - Tram 2 (Pest riverbank)
A cheap ride along the river with views of Parliament and Buda Castle. - Danube evening river cruise (Pest riverbank)
Seeing Parliament and the bridges lit up from the water is a classic first night.
Shopping and Markets
- Great Market Hall (Fővám tér)
A grand iron market hall for paprika, salami, pickles and lángos upstairs. - Lehel Market (District XIII)
A working market where locals shop for vegetables, meat and pickles. - Szimpla Sunday Farmers Market (Jewish Quarter)
The ruin bar turns into a farmers market on Sunday mornings. - Budapest Christmas Fair (Vörösmarty tér)
Wooden stalls, mulled wine and chimney cake from late November. - Ecseri Flea Market (District XIX)
A sprawling flea market for vintage, antiques and communist era curios.
Nature and Outdoors
- Margaret Island (Danube)
A car free island of gardens, a musical fountain, running track and lido. - Gellért Hill and the Citadella (Buda)
The best sunset viewpoint over the bridges, Parliament and both halves of the city. - Pál-völgyi Cave (District II)
Guided walks through limestone caves beneath the Buda hills. - City Park and Vajdahunyad Castle (Városliget)
A big park with a fairy tale castle, boating lake in summer and an ice rink in winter.
Bars and Nightlife
- Szimpla Kert (Jewish Quarter)
The original ruin bar, a maze of rooms filled with odd art, plants and old furniture. - Instant and Fogas (Jewish Quarter)
A huge complex of bars and dance floors that stays lively until dawn. - Mazel Tov (Jewish Quarter)
A plant filled courtyard bar and restaurant serving Middle Eastern dishes. - Doblo Wine and Bar (Jewish Quarter)
A candlelit wine bar pouring Hungarian wines by the glass. - Élesztő (District IX)
A craft beer ruin bar with dozens of Hungarian beers on tap. - A38 Ship (Petőfi Bridge)
A converted Ukrainian stone carrier ship moored on the Danube, now a concert venue.
Cafés
- New York Café (Erzsébetváros)
Possibly the most opulent café in the world, all gilt, marble and frescoes. - Gerbeaud (Vörösmarty tér)
A historic coffee house famed for its cakes since the nineteenth century. - Café Central (Belváros)
A grand old literary café that feels calmer than its famous rivals. - Ruszwurm Confectionery (Castle District)
A tiny Biedermeier pastry shop near Matthias Church, serving cakes for two centuries. - Massolit Books and Café (Jewish Quarter)
A secondhand bookshop with a quiet garden café.
Restaurants
- Frici Papa (District VII)
Hearty goulash, paprikash and stews at a simple, busy local eatery. - Rosenstein (District VIII)
A family run restaurant known for Hungarian Jewish home cooking. - Costes Downtown (District V)
A celebrated fine dining kitchen turning Hungarian ingredients into tasting menus. - Stand Restaurant (District V)
Refined Hungarian classics from one of the country's best known chef teams. - Bors GasztroBár (Kazinczy utca)
A tiny counter with inventive soups and baguettes and a long queue for good reason.
Events
- Sziget Festival (Óbuda Island)
One of Europe's biggest music festivals, held on an island in the Danube each August. - St Stephen's Day (Citywide)
Fireworks over the Danube and a craft fair on Buda Castle every 20 August. - Budapest Wine Festival (Buda Castle)
Winemakers from across Hungary pour in the castle courtyards each September. - Budapest Spring Festival (Citywide)
Concerts, dance and theatre across the city each spring.
Stays
- Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace (Széchenyi tér)
An art nouveau palace hotel facing the Chain Bridge. - Aria Hotel Budapest (District V)
A music themed boutique hotel by the Basilica with a rooftop bar.
Places to Visit in Szentendre
Arts and Culture
- Hungarian Open Air Museum (Skanzen)
Whole villages of farmhouses, churches and workshops rebuilt from every region. - Margit Kovács Ceramic Collection (Old town)
Playful, moving ceramic figures by one of Hungary's best loved artists. - Szamos Marzipan Museum (Old town)
Marzipan sculptures, including a parliament, and a café with excellent cakes. - Blagoveštenska Church (Fő tér)
A Serbian Orthodox church on the main square with a rich iconostasis. - Royal Palace of Visegrád (Visegrád)
Renaissance palace ruins with a restored courtyard fountain. - Esztergom Basilica (Esztergom)
The largest church in Hungary, with a treasury and a dome climb.
Things to Do
- Church Hill viewpoint (Templom tér)
A short climb to the best view over the town's roofs and spires. - Visegrád Citadel (Visegrád)
A hilltop fortress with the finest view over the Danube Bend. - Visegrád Bobsled (Visegrád)
A summer toboggan run down a forested hillside.
Shopping and Markets
- Szentendre Main Square (Fő tér)
Craft shops, galleries and painted houses around a small baroque square.
Nature and Outdoors
Events
- Visegrád Palace Games (Visegrád)
Jousting and medieval costume at the royal palace each July.
Places to Visit in Lake Balaton
Arts and Culture
- Tihany Abbey (Tihany)
A Benedictine abbey founded in 1055 on a hilltop above the lake. - Festetics Palace (Keszthely)
A vast baroque palace with a famous library and carriage museum.
Nature and Outdoors
- Tihany Inner Lake trail (Tihany)
A walk past a crater lake, lavender and old hermit caves on the peninsula. - Káli Basin (Balaton Uplands)
A quiet valley of stone villages, rock fields and small farm restaurants. - Badacsony vineyards (Badacsony)
Wine terraces on the slopes of an extinct volcano with lake views. - Szigliget Castle (Szigliget)
A castle ruin on a hill above a pretty lakeside village.
Things to Do
- Hévíz Thermal Lake (Hévíz)
Swim in a warm natural lake among water lilies, all year round. - Tapolca Lake Cave (Tapolca)
Row a small boat through flooded caves beneath the town. - Balatonfüred Tagore Promenade (Balatonfüred)
A tree lined lakeside walk with cafés and sailing boats. - Szántód to Tihany ferry (Szántód)
A short car ferry crossing with great views of the peninsula. - Balaton cycling route (Lakeshore)
A mostly flat cycle path around the lake past beaches and vineyards.
Restaurants
- Fried fish and lángos stands (Siófok)
Classic summer beach food at stands along the strands.
Bars and Nightlife
- Petőfi Promenade (Siófok)
The heart of Siófok's summer nightlife with bars and beach clubs.
Shopping and Markets
- Liliomkert Market (Káptalantóti)
A weekend farmers and flea market loved by Budapest food lovers.
Places to Visit in Eger
Things to Do
- Eger Castle (Old town)
The fortress that held off the Ottoman army in 1552, with museums and casemates. - Eger Turkish Bath (Fürdő utca)
A restored Ottoman bath with modern thermal pools. - Eger Thermal Bath (Archbishop's Garden)
Outdoor thermal and swimming pools in a shady park, good for families. - Lipizzaner stud farm (Szilvásvárad)
The home of the state Lipizzaner horses, with a museum and riding shows.
Arts and Culture
- Eger Minaret (Old town)
The northernmost Ottoman minaret in Europe, with a narrow climb to the top. - Eger Basilica (Old town)
A neoclassical basilica with short organ concerts on many days. - Lyceum and camera obscura (Eszterházy tér)
A historic library ceiling and a working camera obscura projecting the town. - Dobó István Square (Old town)
The baroque heart of town, with the Minorite Church and the siege hero's statue. - Tokaj wine region (Tokaj)
A UNESCO listed landscape famous for sweet Aszú wine, a good next stop.
Bars and Nightlife
- Valley of the Beautiful Women (Szépasszony völgy)
A horseshoe of rock cut wine cellars pouring Bull's Blood by the glass.
Restaurants
- Macok Bistro and Wine Bar (Below the castle)
A bistro with seasonal food and an excellent Eger wine list.
Nature and Outdoors
- Egerszalók salt hill (Egerszalók)
White travertine terraces from a hot spring just outside Eger. - Szalajka Valley (Szilvásvárad)
A forest railway, trout streams and a veil waterfall in the Bükk hills. - Bükk National Park (Bükk hills)
Limestone peaks, caves and beech forest trails north of town.
Places to Visit in Pécs
Arts and Culture
- Cella Septichora Visitor Centre (Dóm tér)
Painted early Christian tombs from Roman Sopianae, listed by UNESCO. - Mosque Church of Pasha Qasim (Széchenyi tér)
A sixteenth century mosque turned church, the symbol of the city. - Pécs Cathedral (Dóm tér)
A four towered cathedral with a richly painted interior. - Zsolnay Cultural Quarter (Felsővámház utca)
A former ceramics factory turned museums, planetarium and family spaces. - Csontváry Museum (Káptalan utca)
Visionary landscapes by the painter Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka. - Victor Vasarely Museum (Káptalan utca)
Op art by the movement's founder in the house where he was born. - Mosque of Pasha Yakovali Hassan (Rákóczi út)
The best preserved Ottoman mosque in Hungary, with its minaret.
Nature and Outdoors
- Pécs TV Tower (Misina hill)
A viewing deck over the city and the plains to the south. - Mecsek hills (Above Pécs)
Forest trails, a lookout tower and a small zoo above the city.
Shopping and Markets
- Pécs Market Hall (Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca)
A busy local market for produce, paprika and pastries.
Bars and Nightlife
- Villány wine street (Villány)
A single street of cellars pouring the south's celebrated reds.
Things to Do
- Siklós Castle (Siklós)
A well preserved castle near Villány with museum displays. - Harkány Thermal Bath (Harkány)
A big spa with sulphurous thermal pools, popular with families.
Events
- Busójárás carnival (Mohács)
Masked carnival before Lent, a UNESCO listed tradition in nearby Mohács.
More to Explore
We are still checking these with fresh sources, so confirm opening times before you go.
- Gellért Thermal Bath (Szent Gellért tér, Budapest)
Art nouveau mosaics and columns make this the most elegant bath in the city. - Központ (District VI, Budapest)
A friendly bistro for a modern take on classic Hungarian dishes. - Kádár Étkezde (Jewish Quarter, Budapest)
An old school lunch canteen serving home style Hungarian and Jewish dishes. - Karaván Street Food (Kazinczy utca, Budapest)
A courtyard of food trucks for lángos, burgers and kürtőskalács next to Szimpla. - Hotel Gellért (Szent Gellért tér, Budapest)
A historic hotel linked to the famous bath, check current status before booking. - Nostalgia Café (Old town, Szentendre)
A cosy café for cake and coffee in the old lanes. - Promenade Vendéglő (Futó utca, Szentendre)
A terrace restaurant above the Danube serving classic Hungarian food. - Hotel Silvanus (Visegrád, Szentendre)
A forest hotel high above the Danube Bend with sweeping views. - Kistücsök (Balatonszemes, Lake Balaton)
A long established south shore restaurant known for modern Hungarian cooking. - Kisfaludy House (Badacsony, Lake Balaton)
A terrace restaurant above the vineyards with wide lake views. - Tihany Levendula Ház (Tihany, Lake Balaton)
A lavender visitor centre in the Tihany peninsula. - Balaton Sound (Zamárdi, Lake Balaton)
A big lakeside electronic music festival each summer. - Balatonfüred Wine Weeks (Balatonfüred, Lake Balaton)
A summer wine festival along the waterfront. - Valley of Arts (Kapolcs, Lake Balaton)
Concerts and exhibitions across small villages each July. - Anna Grand Hotel (Balatonfüred, Lake Balaton)
A historic spa hotel on the town's main square. - Hotel Európa Fit (Hévíz, Lake Balaton)
A spa hotel close to the thermal lake. - St Andrea Winery (Eger, Eger)
A respected local winery known for Bikavér, with tastings. - Dobos Cukrászda (Széchenyi utca, Eger)
A local cake shop famous for its marzipan creations. - Eger Bull's Blood Festival (Old town, Eger)
A summer festival celebrating the town's famous red wine. - Senator Ház Hotel (Dobó István tér, Eger)
A small family hotel right on the main square. - Café Dante (Janus Pannonius utca, Pécs)
A relaxed café in a historic building near the cathedral, with a garden. - Jókai Bistro (Jókai tér, Pécs)
A friendly bistro on a small square near the centre. - Hotel Palatinus (Király utca, Pécs)
A historic art nouveau hotel on the main pedestrian street.